


XXI - Death

by gayjevil



Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning, High Chaos (Dishonored), May update tags, Mental Instability, Mostly canon to the High Chaos route, Sort Of, Torture, but with my own headcanons, please be gentle I am a baby writer, someone give Corvo a hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-22 01:33:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11956914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gayjevil/pseuds/gayjevil
Summary: Corvo Attano witnessed the death of his love, Empress Jessamine Kaldwin, the woman he was supposed to protect 'til the end of his life. She had died in his arms. He witnessed the kidnapping of their dear daughter, Emily. She screamed for his name, but he could not help her. He witnessed his whole life falling apart. All because of that man in red. Red. He would paint this dreadful world with that color. Make everyone feel the pain he felt, and will always feel.





	1. The Fall

_Revenge solves everything._

 

 

It had seemed like a normal enough day. Corvo just happened to arrive hearing bad news. He hadn't expected everything else to turn out so horribly. If he  _had_ expected it, well, how different things would have been..... Everyone greeted him with respect as usual, and he had no difficulties getting into Dunwall Tower. Emily, his beloved daughter, greeted him as he walked through the gates.

"Corvo!" she yelled, as she ran towards him, arms outstretched.

"Emily!"

"How was it? Did ya see any whales?" Curious little Emily, always wanting to know more about the world.

"Haha, yes, we saw a few whales." She pulled him in for a kiss on the cheek. They were rarely ever allowed to act as father and daughter in public, and the moments when they did, he cherished. She walked a little ways away, then asked "Hey Corvo, wanna play hide and seek? You have time.."

"Of course."

Under the bridge, they shared one of the last happy moments they would have together. On the way up to the pavilion, they ran into Anton Sokolov, painting a picture of Thaddeus Campbell. Sokolov softly remarked about the man being hideous, and Emily giggled. Corvo would miss that sound.

Finally, they reached the pavilion. The spymaster, Hiram Burrows, was there.

"Ah, Corvo. Two days early, full of surprises as usual."

Corvo didn't bother replying. He had never liked nor fully trusted that man. Later, he would see that he was right to. Then, he reached Jessamine, and it was just her, Corvo, and Emily. He handed her the letter, already feeling sorry for her. He hated to add more stress onto her. Being an empress was no easy task.

" _None_ of the other Isles have dealt with this?! They're going to wait until this city turns into a graveyard..."

She threw the letter down in frustration. Emily stepped forward.

"Mother, is everything alright?"

She pulled her child in for a comforting embrace. "Everything's fine dear, don't worry- Wait, who sent the guards away?!"

_Oh no._

 

"Mother, what are they doing on the rooftops?"

Emily pointed, and Corvo looked to see strange, masked men. They were.... teleporting? So magic was real? They were getting closer, and closer. Corvo drew his blade and gun. No one would hurt his family.

The assassins drew close, they were at the pavilion now. Corvo slashed away at one, then another, a whirlwind of steel. He shot the third with his gun, a loud  _Bang!_ echoing throughout the palace yard. But they kept coming. And then what Corvo assumed to be their leader arrived.

The man in red wasn't wearing a mask. He was mildly handsome, and had a long, jagged scar on the right side of his face. His face was that of a wolf's. Merciless, cruel, cunning. Corvo rushed forward to attack, but the man held up his hand, and Corvo found he couldn't move. The mark on his hand, Corvo swore he had seen it before.... The man took a few steps towards the Empress.

"Argh,  _no_ , stop it, don't you fucking touch her!"

Corvo screamed all he could. He could hear Emily's screams, and Jessamine's. The man put his hand around Jessamine's neck, and lifted her up. He choked out whatever words she was trying to say.

He shoved his blade into her, straight through her abdomen. All around were screams, blood, chaos. And Corvo was helpless. He couldn't protect her, couldn't save her.

The man grabbed Emily. She cried out for her parents, and Jessamine tried to stop him with what little life she had left, but he pushed her away as if she was made of paper. Corvo struggled, trying to do something,  _anything_ to stop the events from unfolding. But he was helpless.

And without so much as a word, the assassin and his lackeys vanished, taking Emily with them. Corvo fell to the ground and rushed to Jessamine immediately, ignoring any wounds he may have acquired. He held her in his arms, knowing full well it may be the last time he would be able to. It didn't matter if he was in pain, Jessamine was dying.

"C-Corvo...." She coughed and choked on her own blood.

"What?" Corvo could barely speak.

"Go... find Emily... You're the only one who can make things right... Won't you, Corvo?"

Her body went limp in his arms.

"Jess? Oh, Jess.... I'm so sorry, this is my fault... All my fault... Shit, I'm sorry..... I-" He choked on his tears.

"I love you, Jessamine." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, and laid her limp body down carefully. Then the guards and that bastard of a spymaster arrived.

Burrows was the first to speak.

"Ward us all, look at what he's done... And by her own bodyguard? Ironic."

Corvo couldn't speak. He couldn't hear. He couldn't see. All he heard was her and Emily's screams, and all he saw was her blood, and her beautiful face, moments before death. Then, with the slap of a blade, all he saw was darkness.


	2. Imprisoned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Corvo wakes up inside the interrogation room, and is brutally tortured. This will be a bit violent, just a warning.

Corvo was strapped to a chair, completely unable to move, save for futile struggling. Three men stood around him. Everything was so out-of-focus, his head was pounding. Only when one of the men spoke was Corvo able to remember what happened, the horrible things he saw.

 

"Ah, I do believe he's coming to! It's about damn time..."

Burrows. That son of a bitch. He would pay for what he'd done, Corvo would make sure of that. They would all pay.

Burrows motioned to one of the others, a guard, perhaps?

"You, make sure to document this session."

 

"Yes, Lord Regent."

Session? Session of what? And Burrows was calling himself Lord Regent now? Was this all the result of a petty scheme to steal the throne?

"Corvo Attano, the former Royal Protector. It's a shame you arrived early, you would have been so useful to us... But at least you make a wonderful scapegoat for the death of the Empress." The "Lord Regent" sneered. Corvo wished he could wipe that smug look off of his face....

"I didn't do it. I would never kill her. It was your fucking idea, you bastard!" He screamed with all of his rage. He struggled against his restraints, desperately wishing to harm the men before him.

"Hm, let's see what you have to say after this.... Bring out the whip!"

Torture.

 _That_ was what they were planning. The Royal Interrogator, a rather large, muscular, and mute man, came into view. He was carrying a thin leather bullwhip. Corvo was naked, they had taken off his clothes, for humiliation and to worsen the pain. The torturer pulled his arm back, and sent the whip cracking down of Corvo's bare abdomen. It hurt like the Void, felt as though a knife had been driven into his body.

 

"Argh... I won't talk..."

 

So the whip came down again. And again. It left bloody cuts and streaks all over his body. It came down so quickly, like lightning. He was soon drenched in his own blood. But still, he refused to admit to a lie, to killing a person he truly cared for.

 

Burrows cleared his throat.

"Well, Corvo, you're resilient, I'll give you that.... This isn't going anywhere.... Escort him to his cell. We'll see him here again tomorrow."

"Yes sir!"

The restraints of the chair were removed, only to be replaced by chains, and tattered rags that were supposed to be clothing. Corvo could barely stand, but he was forcefully pulled to his feet when he tried to rest. He was dragged into a dirty, wet cell, crawling with rats and bugs. The cell door slammed shut behind him. He collapsed onto the bed, exhausted and broken. What happened? What did he to do deserve this? What could  _anyone_ do to deserve this? He lost everyone he loved, and everyone blamed  _him_ for it. Oh, how much pain he was in. His body burned, his soul burned. He was still bleeding, and crying. How could he not cry, when the only family he'd ever known had been torn away from him so suddenly? And no one dared show him mercy. All he received was cruelty and punishment, when he had done nothing wrong. They would pay for it, they would all pay... But there was nothing he could do now, he was helpless. Just as he was the other day, as he watched Jessamine be murdered.

Corvo remembered his promise to her, as she died. He would find Emily, and protect her, no matter the cost. He  _had to._ But there was nothing that could be done right now. He could only wait. Wait and let his pain consume him. He cried himself to sleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holyyy shit I'm busy with school, I apologize. I also have horrible writer's block and I feel dead 90% of the time.... Also I just... I have so many ideas for this, but it's hard to put them into specific words.... And I'm a horrible perfectionist, which doesn't help. But please, leave comments, I'm pathetic and need validation lmao  
> Also I apologize if it's shit

**Author's Note:**

> I'm writing this at like 1 am, please be gentle. I always had the idea in my head that high chaos Corvo was sort of broken by all the shit he went through, and the torture for six entire months, and it turned him into a desensitized, depressed murderer full of hatred for the world. So yeah, have this. I'm gonna try to make a whole story of it, but I am busy with school. Also I apologize if the dialogue from the games isn't 100% accurate.


End file.
